1859] On the different Animals known as wild dsses. 235 



peak of Kylas rises conspicuous. On the plains between the 

 ravines herds of Kyang feed; they are more asinine than ecjuine in 

 appearance, are of a light red colour, with white belly and legs, and 

 have the hog-mane stripe down the back, and tail of an Ass ; the 

 head is disproportionately large, and they bray instead of neighing" 



I have also been assured by actual observers, familiar with the 

 voice of the Kyang, that it is "as much like neighing as brayiug;" 

 but this I do not comprehend. It must surely be either one or the 

 other. A neigh is a tremulous expiration only. A bray consists of 

 alternate expirations and inspirations. And there can be little 

 doubt that the Kyang will prove to resemble the other asinine qua- 

 drupeds in braying and not neighing, notwithstanding the highly 

 respected testimony of Major Cunningham.* 



The resemblance of the two animals is indeed exceedingly close, 

 again notwithstanding the assertion to the contrary of Major Cun- 

 ningham, Dr. Hooker, and others, — greater even than that of either 

 of them to the hemippus, which has a conspicuously smaller head 

 and shorter ears. The size and figure of the two would seem to be 

 absolutely alike, with a heavy but well formed head, lougish ears, 

 rather a short neck, and body and limbs of exquisite tumeur, indi- 

 cative of extraordinary fleetness. I have not seen the living Kyang 

 or Djiggetai, but the croup is distinctly higher than the withers in 

 the living Ghor-khur or Koulan. The colour of the Kyang is much 

 deeper and more rufous than that of the Ghor-khur, and there is 

 considerably more of white about the latter. The Ghor-khur is of 

 the isabelline or sandy hue of most animals of the desert, but with 

 a distinct rnfescent tinge ; its dorsal stripe would seem to be gener- 

 ally much broader than in the Kyang, though varying in breadth 

 in different individuals : but it may be remarked that this stripe 



* I have never heard the voice of the Quagga from which that species derives its 

 name. That of the Ghor-khur is considered by M;ijor Tytler to resemble exceed- 

 ingly the cry of a mule. The truth might, indeed, be anatomically determined. 

 Thus, Cuvier remarks, of the Ass, — " sa voix rauque (appellee braire) tient u 

 deux petites cavites particulates du fond de son larynx." R. A., I, 253. Pennant, 

 following Pallas, remarks of the Tshiggetai, that — " their neighing is deeper and 

 louder than that of the Horse :" a description which most assuredly cannot be re- 

 conciled with the shrieking bray of the Ghor-khur ! 



2 II 2 



